The Murder of Sonny Liston: Las Vegas, Heroin and Heavyweights-Shaun Assael

On By Genyc79In BiographiesLeave a comment

sonnyOn December 30, 1970, Charles “Sonny” Liston (1932-1970) died at his home in Las Vegas, Nevada at the age of thirty-eight. His body was discovered six days later by his wife Geraldine when she returned home from a trip out-of-state with Liston’s son Daniel.   It was first suspected that Liston, a known user of heroin, had overdosed.  But it was later declared by the coroner’s office that he died of natural causes.  To this day it is the official cause of death.  The late Liston is remembered as one of the greatest boxers to ever grace a ring. His battles in and out of the ring with Muhammad Ali are some of boxing’s most entertaining moments.  Although Liston lacked the personality of Ali or the flair of Floyd Mayweather, Jr., he was feared in the ring as a powerhouse of a brawler unafraid to go in and demolish whoever stood in front of him.  His personality in the ring was a direct reflection of his personality outside the ring in a life full of twist, turns and ultimately tragedy.  Shaun Assael recounts the short and tragic life of Liston and his death which he believes was in fact a homicide that was wrongly classified at the time of Liston’s death.

Las Vegas is known as the City of Sin and the places where secrets remain after visitors have made their destinations back home. But for those who live in or near Vegas, the lure of casinos, fame, glory, drugs and a fast life are sometimes too great of a temptation to resist.  For Liston, the question that always remains is why was he drawn to the dark side of Vegas to begin with?  His successes in the ring earned him a spot in boxing history and with a good financial advisor, he could have put his earnings towards good use.  But as we learn in the book, Liston suffered from the same problem that plagued a number of African-American athletes during those times, he was functionally illiterate and immersed in a boxing world controlled by crooked managers and dark figures from the criminal underworld.  In fact, boxing was so infiltrated by crime figures, that Liston himself once appeared before the famed Este Kefauver to answer questions about the organized crime influence in professional boxing.  The mafia, fast women, drugs and money engulfed Liston in one of America’s fastest cities that has claimed the lives of many including the late Tupac Shakur (1971-1996).

As a former heavyweight champion, Liston enjoyed many privileges in the City of  Sin.  But those privileges came with a price, a heavy one that eventually claimed his life.  His actions and the situations that developed are sometimes unbelievable. But they also highlight the mindset Liston was in as his addiction to heroin grew and his grip on reality slipped.  A lifestyle such as Liston’s typically results in a few conclusions and death is one of them.  His demons stayed with him throughout his life all the way up until his last moments on that tragic December night. But for all of his mistakes and untimely end, his accomplishments remain as an example of a rags to riches story common in America.  As one of 24 children, he rose to stardom with literally nothing but the clothes on his back.  An arrest and time in prison became a blessing in disguise that launched him onto the path that became his life’s calling.  But Liston’s brutish personality and addiction to things that served no good purpose in his life became the foundation for the house of cards that eventually collapsed. Nevertheless, Liston remains an icon and one of boxing’s all-time greats. Assael has provided yet another crucial look into the life and death of the great Sonny Liston.

ISBN-10: 039916975X
ISBN-13: 978-0399169755

More Terrible Than Death: Violence, Drugs and America’s War in Colombia-Robin Kirk

On By Genyc79In Latin AmericaLeave a comment

more terribleEarlier this year, Netflix released the second season to the hit show ‘Narcos’ starring Wagner Moura as the infamous Pablo Escobar.  While not exactly a dead ringer for Escobar, Moura pulls off a stunning performance bringing the late drug czar back to life.  The series is violent and gritty but a look into a time in Colombia’s past when life was more terrible than death.  Robin Kirk is  currently the Faculty Co-Chair of the Executive Committee of the Duke Human Rights Center at Duke University. She is an experience human rights worker and penned this phenomenal account of the effects of the drug trade on the nation of Colombia.

To most Americans, Colombia is known for coffee, violence and cocaine. While it is true that the country produces the largest amount of cocaine in the western hemisphere, there is far more to Colombia than meets the eye.  The country is also known for its beautiful landscape, hospitable people and some of the finest cuisine in Latin America.  Intervention by the United States into Colombian affairs, the constantly growing market for illegal drugs and political instability helped turned Colombia into the most dangerous country of earth with a murder rate nearly triple of the worst American cities. Escobar stands out as the most popular narco to have come out of Colombia.  But what most forget is that the drug trade went far beyond Escobar and involved many players, some of whom held high positions in Colombian society.  Through Kirk’s memoirs of her time there, we come to know the courageous Colombian citizens who risked their lives in service of their beloved homeland.  The extreme acts of violence are well-known and documented.  Escobar literally held the country in a grip of fear as he waged war against the establishment determined to see him in prison or dead.  As the acts of terror grew, Los Pepes and other cartels unleashed a deadly campaign to rid Colombia of the Rionegro menace. The ensuing war resulted in one of Latin America’s bloodiest drug wars with hundreds of men and women dying at a staggering rate. But as we make our way through Kirk’s book, we are able to see there were more players involved and more ideology in effect than is often shown.

In the wake of U.S. aggression, many Latin American nations struggled with class war between conservative and liberal, Colombian in particular. The civil war in 1948-1958 known as la violencia was  an eerie premonition of the future to come.  The FARC and right-wing Peasant Self-Defense Forces of Córdoba and Urabá, led by the late Carlos Castano, rose to prominence as the two largest extremists groups determined to bring a change to Colombian society by any means necessary.  The drug cartels, M-19 Marxist group and the National Liberation Army (ELN) added another dynamic to already precarious situation and the battles between the parties resulted in a torrent of violence that shocked and appalled the citizens of Colombia and the world at large.

To the average American it is easy to write off Colombia as another hodgepodge of violence. But the stark reality is that the carnivorous American appetite for cocaine helped fuel the highly profitable drug trade and war.   The war on drugs, spearheaded by President Ronald Reagan and continued by future presidents, did little to deter the monster that had been unleashed. Chemical sprays and millions of dollars invested in anti-drug campaigns had little or no effect on the supply of cocaine and in some cases had adverse effects health wise upon the people with the misfortune to live in areas in close proximity to narco operations. Suspicion, fear and paranoia gripped the minds of drug traffickers and left and right-wing leaders.  Doctors, politicians and even judges were no longer safe and many have been forced to leave Colombia in fear of their lives never to return.  Today, the drug trade continues and the government of Colombia continue to negotiate with the FARC to reach a peace agreement.  A truce would be a monumental historical moment giving the people hope and restoring their faith in the country they call home.

The story of Latin America is one of which many Americans remain ignorant.  Assumptions and pre-conceived notions have caused many to disregard Colombia as nothing more than a country of outlaws plagued by greed and cocaine. But in reality the truth is far different.  The people there wish to live in peace and happiness like other countries but have been plagued by an environment encompassed by terror and fear from various angles by various groups all with separate agendas. And while it appears that its worst days are behind, there is still much work to be done as can be seen from the rejection of the proposed peace deal with the FARC.  But all is not lost and a new future for Colombia is apparent as it finds itself on the brink of overdue social reform. With this incredible account of the turmoil that engulfed Colombia and the tragic fates of those who dared to speak up in defense of the place they called home, Kirk has done a great service to everyone that calls their self Colombian.

ASIN: B004WOH0D0

Go Tell It on the Mountain-James Baldwin

On By Genyc79In fictionLeave a comment

Go tell it on the mountainJames Baldwin once remarked that the story of Black America was America’s story and believe that it was impossible to separate the two.  Nearly all of this nation’s major events are in some way related to the plight of America’s minorities.  The country that is the land of immigrants becomes more of a melting pot with each passing week.  The recent documentary “13th” highlighted the system of mass incarceration that has resulted in America having the largest prison population of anywhere in the world and millions of young Black and Hispanic men and women being placed behind bars for extended sentences based on convictions for trivial crimes.  At the heart of the African-American experience is the precarious state of the immediate family structure and the constant discord that exist.

Those familiar with Baldwin’s story will recognize that his life serves as some of the basis for the book. In fact, for most authors, personal experiences sometimes provide the best material.  In this story, we dive deep inside a blended family with a large closet of secrets and a son trying to figure out his place within this family. As the novel begins, we are introduced to the Grimes family who are making their way to the local storefront church for the day’s service. The parents are Elizabeth and Gabriel who have a family of four consisting of John the protagonist, Roy who takes after Gabriel and Sarah and Ruth, the two sisters who have strictly supporting roles in the story.  In fact, Ruth is baby and has no dialogue.  It is John’s fourteenth birthday and he finds himself at a crossroads in his life as he tries to understand the path which he will take as he continues to mature.  As the story continues, we come to learn that Gabriel harbors an unusual resentment towards John and is frustrated over Roy’s increasingly rebel behavior and inability to accept the faith.  Faced with four mouths to feed, Gabriel is absent most of the time working to provide for his family. He drinks heavy and is physically abusive.  Elizabeth does not work and takes care of the children all day.  Gabriel’s sister Florence stops by and after her arrival the once contained feelings of animosity between brother and sister come rising to the surface. One day, Roy is knifed in a fight on the west side of Manhattan.  During the argument that ensues between the adults, Gabriel strikes Elizabeth and his actions set off a chain of events.  And at that point, we are told the background stories on each of the major characters.  What we learn is that many dark secrets surround the family, centering around Gabriel, the Reverend who is a man of the faith.  The revelation about his true connection to John is the crux of the book and critical to understanding Gabriel’s tragic character.

The lives of Gabriel, Florence and Elizabeth are further impacted by several deceased characters. Esther, Frank, Royal, Richard and Deborah fill in the blanks to the story and explain the present day situations that exist. Deborah and Esther in particular linger over the entire story and threaten Gabriel’s very existence.  Their appearances in the book and the events that follow underscore the importance of a stable home and the presence of a father in the home.  I firmly believe that Baldwin was making a very pointed statement about the issue. Gabriel’s position as a reverend also has a clear intention regarding the topic of religion which is a main theme in the book.  As we read we are required to examine our own religions beliefs and how they influence our actions or non-actions.  The African-American community remains strongly devout in Christianity and the Bible is viewed as the most important book to have in a household.  In fact, in my own home, the Bible was openly displayed and any interference with it was subject to a tongue lashing or sometimes worse.  Today in 2016, much is still the same in many homes and shows no signs of slowing down.  But a critical question we have to ask is does religion help or sometimes hinder?  And just how did it affect the characters in the book either positively or negatively?

The darker moments in the book give rise to a part of the story that could easily be overlooked.  The era of Jim Crow and often violent racial discrimination forced millions of Black Americans to relocate throughout the country as they scattered to leave the south. However, even in the north and other parts of the union, poverty and hatred continued to haunt recent emigrants . The fears and uncertainty are displayed in Richard’s character and his fate.  Baldwin pulls no punches in showcasing the disparity which plagued countless numbers of homes during that era and resulted in a system of dysfunction that permanently broke the Black family structure. And in the book we witness the characters struggle to keep the family together and in unison.  But when it seems that all is lost, the protagonist John becomes the hope of the family and the light at the end of the tunnel.  Elizabeth, Elisa and Florence serve as his guardian angels intent on preventing him from becoming another Gabriel and continuing the cycle that doomed prior generations. John realizes his potential, the truth about Gabriel and his demons and comes to terms with the fact that he will have to go tell it on the mountain.

ISBN-10: 0345806549
ISBN-13: 978-0345806543

 

 

The Last Godfather: The Rise and Fall of Joey Massino-Simon Crittle

On By Genyc79In Organized CrimeLeave a comment

massinoOn July 10, 2013, the Hon. Nicholas G. Garaufis of the Eastern District of New York ruled that former Bonnano Crime Family boss Joseph Massino was to be released from federal prison after serving only 12 years of a life sentence.  He will be monitored regularly for the remainder of his life. The ruling was based on Massino’s prior cooperation as a government witness.  To date, he remains the only mafia boss to have become a testifying witness for the U.S. Government. This is the story of his rise to fame and his downfall in a life of organized crime in the five boroughs of the City of New York.

Similar to other books on the legendary crime figures, the story begins in New York City in 1943 when Massino is born into an Italian-American family.  Raised in Maspeth, Queens, his life of crime began in his teen years paving the road for future endeavors.  However it is time as a member of the Bonnano Crime Family that would later be the focus of an unrelenting number of criminal investigations. Crittle does a masterful job of putting together the details of the infamous murders that occurred, including the murders of the three capos (Alphonse “Sonny Red” Indelicato, Dominick “Big Trin” Trincera and Philip Giaccone) as portrayed in the hit film ‘Donnie Brasco’, starring Al Pacino and Johnnie Depp.  As the tension in the book builds, we learn about several more murders including those of  Dominick “Sonny Black” Napolitano, Cesare Bonventre and Gerlando Sciascia, whose murder earned Massino a possible sentence of death if convicted.  The reader may recall Napolitano as the mafia captain who was taken to task over the infiltration of the organization by F.B.I. agent Joseph Pistone.  He is portrayed in ‘Donnie Brasco’ by actor Michael Madsen. The film was fairly accurate but several liberties had been taken by the filmmakers, most notably the insinuation that Lefty is called to this death.  In reality,  Benjamin “Lefty” Ruggiero survived the Pistone episode and died of cancer on November 24, 1994.

Crittle appropriately named the book for Massino is considered to the be the last of the old-school mafia bosses.  However his decision to cooperate with the government was an act unfathomable in the minds of mafia figures and law enforcement personnel.  The author follows Massino’s trial and the sequence of events that lead to the aging gangster switching sides.  The story takes on a life of its own as we witness a level of devastation within the ranks of the mafia never before seen.  The last don’s fall from power and grace is yet another example of the precariousness of life in organized crime.  Many of the characters in the book are either deceased or incarcerated and today they represent an era long gone in American history.   There was a time when the Italian-American mafia controlled nearly all parts of New York and was feared and glorified throughout the country.  Massino’s conviction and defection pushed the organization past the point of no return.

Fans of true crime novels will readily welcome this addition to their libraries.  Crittle takes us back into time in an era where the streets of New York City were filled with mafia figures larger than life such as John Gotti, Paul Castellano, Carmine Galante and Aniello Dellacroce among others.  The younger generation of today are largely indifferent to the mafia.  The mafia rarely makes headlines but remains firmly implanted in the memories of mature readers who lived during the times explored in the book.  For some of them, Joey Massino truly is the last godfather.

ISBN-10: 0425209393
ISBN-13: 978-0425209394

The Tainos: The Rise and Fall of the People Who Greeted Columbus-Irving Rouse

On By Genyc79In Latin AmericaLeave a comment

TainoThe reputation of Christopher Columbus and his actions continue to be re-examined as more cities throughout the United States pay homage to the nation’s Native American population.  His arrival in the Caribbean in 1492 set off a chain of events critical to development of the area as we know it today.   It is common knowledge that many atrocities were committed during Columbus’ voyages to what was called the New World.  As the Spanish colonized the Caribbean, the native Indian population began to decline and was nearly non-existent by 1524.  We know them by the name Taino but their history and significance is still widely understated.  But just who were the Tainos and how did they come to inhabit what is today the Spanish, British, Dutch and French West-Indies?

Irving Rouse was an archaeologist on the faculty of Yale University and conducted extensive work on the history of the Taino population.  In this phenomenal account of the history of the Taino Indians, he meticulously reconstructs the history of the region and explains the long and intricate evolution of the mysterious natives.  Tragically, their language was never officially recorded and scare parts of it remain today.  No written records are in existence regarding their daily lives to give researchers insight into their culture. As a result they are forced to rely on artifacts found during excavations.  But incredibly,  we are able to trace their origins back to 4000 b.c.. Rouse thoroughly explains the paths taken by the original inhabitants of South America and their journeys north towards the Caribbean. The histories of the Casimiroid, Ortoirnod , Saladoid and Ostionoid people come to life through Rouse’s analysis and the ethnic groups of the Guanahatabey, Taino, Igneri and Island-Carib are further analyzed during the period between 1492, the arrival of Columbus and 1524, the last official year for their existence.

Today, Christianity is the dominant religion in the Caribbean.  The acquisition of territory by Spanish invaders resulted not only in occupation of native land but the forced conversion of the natives to a new faith. Rouse takes great strides to show us that the Tainos had their own religion and gods which they believed served many purposes in life.   Similar to the Greeks and Romans, the Gods and Goddesses were integral to Taino society, influence everything from childbirth to inclement weather. Their significance is explained giving the reader greater insight as to how Taino society operated during their time.  Without written records, the religions artifacts are critical to understanding the beliefs held during archaic times.

The legacy  of Christopher Columbus continues to be debated hundreds of years following his death.  The now prevailing view is that he was a genocidal maniac whose sole purpose was to exterminate the native Indians.  But as Rouse shows us,  the commonly held view of Columbus suffers from many faults and he was not quite what he is made out to be.  His four voyages to the Caribbean had a range of effects but the reality is that the majority of horrific acts of violence that transpired, did so at the times when he was absent from the region, having returned to Spain to assess the progress of the Spanish expeditions.  A gifted navigator and explorer, his lack of management and planning served as a catalysts for the unspeakable acts of horror that were committed by those under his command left in charge to enforce the will of the Spanish government. Columbus died only 12 years following his first visit to the Caribbean and two years following his fourth voyage, so he did not live to see the extermination of the Taino people.   And while he did not “discover” America, his voyages did develop a new connection between Europe and the Americas.  He was not the first to make the trip to North America, coming in second to the Viking explorers, but he did provide a highly critical link between two continents.  And although he was searching for a new passage to Asia, fate took him to the Caribbean, the place where he and his brothers Diego and Bartolome would make their names known.  But for all of his successes, his biggest failure was his inability to protect the native Taino population resulting in their gradual decline and complete extermination by violence, marriage and even disease.

As of late, there has been a resurgence of Taino heritage and pride and thousands of Spanish-speaking inhabitants of the Caribbean proudly exclaim their Taino routes.  The story of the mysterious race of people who dominated the Caribbean is being retold in its entirety but there is much that still needs to be said.  And each October as we look back on the life of Columbus,  we should also look back on the people that he encountered and their tragic history.

ISBN-10: 0300056966
ISBN-13: 978-0300056969

Circle of Six: The True Story of New York’s Most Notorious Cop Killer and the Cop Who Risked Everything to Catch Him-Randy Jurgensen

On By Genyc79In American HistoryLeave a comment

six

April 14, 1972-The New York City Police Department’s 28th Precinct receives a ten-thirteen, the code for an officer in distress.  Units are dispatched and responding officers enter the location given by the caller,  West 116th Street and Malcolm X. Blvd. The building is the Nation of Islam’s Muslim Mosque No. 7, then under the control of Minister Louis Farrakhan.  The officers are locked inside, beaten severely and Officer Philip Cardillo is mortally wounded in the sternum and later dies from his wounds.  The responding officers are ordered out of the mosque by superiors and members of the Nation of Islam begin to clean the building, contaminating crucial evidence and rendering future investigations nearly impossible.  Cardillo’s killer remained hidden for several years and it seemed as if his identity would never  be known. However one New York City Police Detective refused to give up and risked his entire career to see the killer brought to justice. This is the story of Det. Randy Jurgensen (Ret.) and his never-ending efforts to catch the murderer of Philip Cardillo.

Jurgensen was one of the many officers that responded to the scene and gives us a play-by-play description of the events as they transpired.  He was critically wounded himself that day and the encounter between the police and the NOI nearly resulted in  a complete riot. Upon his recovery he is tasked with investigating Cardillo’s murder, but as we see in the book, it was nearly an impossible feat as he faced obstruction on all fronts and incredibly, within the NYPD.  Political aspirations and social concerns resulted in NYPD brass instituting strict controls over the ensuing investigation and a potential mutiny by patrol officers with the backing of the PBA, threatened to bring New York City to a complete halt. The submission of power by the NYPD and public officials to the NOI under Farrakhan’s control served to demoralized the detectives pursuing Cardillo’s killer and the officers that stood near his side on that tragic day in April, 1972.

Jurgensen purposely changed the name of some of the individuals in the book for obvious reasons. But their actions and the wall of stone he encounters throughout the book will cause the reader to question the value placed upon those who put their lives on the line every day in service to the City of New York.  A brush with death is sometimes hidden behind the next corner and every call has the potential to be the last. But nonetheless, the men and women of the NYPD continue to do their   Jurgensen refuses to give up and his efforts pay off in the apprehension of Cardillo’s killer.  The arrest and subsequent trial are bittersweet moments highlighting the precarious nature of a jury in trial with strong racial overtones. We are forced to examine ourselves and our beliefs towards law enforcement and the concept of right and wrong.   The end result may not be what the reader will expect but shining moment in the book is the truth surrounding Cardillo’s murder being revealed at last.  It is a moment that will cause pride to surface in the heart of every New York City Police Officer.  Today the City hardly resembles its 1972 version.  The Nation of Islam is still prevalent but the  Muslim Mosque No. 7 has since relocated.  Minister Louis Farrakhan continues to remain the in the public light although he has advanced into his senior years. Randy Jurgensen  entered Hollywood following his retirement and worked as a technical consultant on ‘The French Connection’, ‘The Cruiser’ and ‘Donnie Brasco’.   He continues to honor Cardillo’s memory and has pushed for the renaming of a street in the late officer’s name.   Jurgensen will  even make a return to Hollywood as this book is set to be adapted by the silver screen.  Cardillo will never been forgotten and for Jurgensen, Farrakhan and the others present on April 14, 1972, the events of that day will remain firmly implanted in their memories until their last day.  This is an invaluable part of New York City history as told through the incredible story of the circle of six.

ISBN-10: 1932857850
ISBN-13: 978-1932857856

Confronting the American Dream: Nicaragua Under U.S. Imperial Rule-Michael Gobat

On By Genyc79In Latin AmericaLeave a comment

nicaraguaJuly 19, 1979- Nicaraguan dictator Anastasio Somoza Debayle is overthrown in a coup headed by the Sandinista National Liberation Front.  His removal brings an end to a thirty year reign of tyranny and oppression from the Somoza family, supported by the United States.  Somoza joins a long list of puppet dictators enabled and sustained by U.S. foreign policy guided by financial interests.  Today, Nicaragua is the second poorest nation in the Americas behind Haiti. In some areas, residents are forced to live on as little as $1 per day. And on September 21, 2016, Congress passed the Nicaraguan Investment Conditionality Act which mandates that any loans to Nicaragua are to be withheld unless there are signs of fair elections and the implementation of democratic processes.  The Act is eerily similar to the actions in the early 1900s when the U.S. tried to seize control of the Banco Nacional, the country’s main bank.  The recent law by Congress highlights the long and tragic relationship between Washington and the fascinating Latin American nation.

Let us for a minute examine Latin America under U.S. foreign policy.   El Salvador. Guatemala. Panama. Cuba.  The aforementioned nations are just some the examples of the failures of U.S. foreign policy and its disastrous and in some cases, deadly effects.  Coup d’etat was the primary weapon on choice and many rising stars would fall victim to it.   Nicaragua joins this list and the history which we learn in the is exceptional account by Michael Gobat is the key to understanding modern-day Nicaragua. Today, the name William Walker is unknown to most Americans, but there was a time when his name was one of infamy, following his attempt with the of the filibuster, to take control of Nicaragua which had been determined to be the best passage for international shipping.  The Panama canal later claimed the title, but that did not suspend of terminate the interest of Washington in Nicaraguan society.  Although Walker failed in his attempts, Washington would be provided with several more opportunities to enforce its will as the overseer of the Americas. And as Gobat shows us, the repercussions for Nicaragua were catastrophic.

Civil wars and the occupation by the United States Marine Corps., created an unusual paradox that defied logic on many levels. The structure of Nicaragua society which at the time was modeled after the U.S., and the rising anti-imperialism movement, formed a contradictory relationship between the conservative elites and the man who threatened to changed Nicaragua forever, Augusto Sandino (1895-1934).  His tragic fate and the assumption of power by Anastasio Somoza Garcia,  plunged Nicaragua into decades of conflict in which thousands lost their lives and the horrific policies of the United States came to light.

Central America is a stronghold of civil unrest, poverty and skyrocketing murder rates. Political instability and corruption continue to plague the region and the future is uncertain for many of them. Honduras currently has one of the highest murder rates in the world and the story of El Salvador has been told many times over. What they all have in common is that they are all the victims of imperialistic intervention.   The United Fruit Company and other U.S. companies operating in the Caribbean and Latin America, helped turned the region into a group of “Banana Republics”.  Today, we have all but forgotten Nicaragua.  It is rarely mentioned and the majority of Americans remain ignorant of our dark relationship with our Central American neighbor. The truth that we should acknowledge is that Nicaraguan history is American history for our actions and policies towards the small nation exemplify our misguided attempts to enforce democracy and exploit the defenseless.  This investigation report by Gobat is the truth about a time we would rather forget.  But his words and the research he has done, show us what happened and why.

Che Guevara once called the United States the enemy of humanity.   His words may sound extreme, but we are required to recall that he was present in Guatemala in 1954 when the government of Jacobo Arbenz was overthrown in a CIA backed coup.  His witnessing to the aggression by the United States and the destitute conditions forced upon Latin America helped shaped his revolutionary ideology which he carried with him all the way to the jungles of Bolivia.   His sentiments have been echoed by millions of people throughout the Americas disillusioned with the false promises and nefarious acts utilized by Washington. But if we are to understand Nicaragua and its tragic history, then we must begin with books such as this.  And then we will learn the true story of the forgotten republic.

ISBN-10: 0822336472
ISBN-13: 978-0822336471

Giovanni’s Room – James Baldwin

On By Genyc79In fictionLeave a comment

giovanni's roomThe late James Baldwin (1924-1987), remains one of America’s most gifted authors.  He is also remembered as an icon of the civil rights movement who was fiercely outspoken against the injustices committed against African-Americans.  Similar to Bayard Rustin,  his homosexuality resulted in a life long inner turmoil in a quest to find true love and happiness.  When he died in France in December, 1987, he left this world as a bachelor and without children.  It could be argued that his children are the writings he left behind that examined society, human nature and emotions. One of these stories is Giovanni’s Room, Baldwin’s masterpiece about the complexities of the human heart and the burden of living with repressed sexuality.

The story begins with David, an American citizen living in France.  In America remain his father who is a widower.  He is a native of San Francisco but has made Paris his new home. His girlfriend Hella, is away on vacation in Spain to reevaluate her feelings toward him and contemplate their future together.  David is free to spend his nights on the streets of Paris and often is accompanied by his closest friend Jacques.  They frequent a local bar owned by a character named Guillaume.  It is on one of their visits to the bar that David meets the young man who becomes the focal point of the story, Giovanni, a recent immigrant from Italy who is now employed as a bartender. A brief conversation between the two blossoms and before long the dynamics of their relationship change revealing the alternative lifestyle of all of the male characters at the bar. But what transpires between David, Giovanni and Hella, highlights the dangerous and infinitely complex nature of love.

Baldwin confronts the concept of sexuality examining it under a microscope which forces the reader to look in the mirror as we see the lives of David and Giovanni change profoundly throughout the novel.  And Giovanni’s fate at the end of the novel shows the ability of love, hate and rage to possess a person equally at the same time. David’s predicament will seem incredulous to some and his actions deplorable. But as Hella and Giovanni both wonder about him, does he truly love anyone or even himself? And even as the book closes, we still don’t know for sure. But what we do know is that love has the ability to create lives, sustain them and ultimately tear them apart. It has often been said that it is better to have loved than to have never loved at all. Would Giovanni or Hella agree?   Or would they say a life without love is more satisfactory?  Baldwin leaves it up to the reader to debate.

The novel is set in 1956, a time in which homosexual relationships were not only highly taboo and also criminal in many countries.  David struggles with himself and his role in the lives of Hella and Giovanni and his battle within is one that is waged by men and women throughout the world unsure of their own sexuality.   His actions and the effects of his omissions upon those closest to him, bring the issue  of truth to the surface.  The truth often hurts regardless of how it is told. For David, Giovanni and Hella, it is beyond sobering.   And as a result of the truth, none of their lives are ever the same again.  And herein lies one of the most powerful effects of the feeling of true love.

The book is short, roughly around 168 pages, but contained within it, is a fascinating story revolving around everyday struggles of people from all walks of life.  And the novel shows the seemingly never ending ingenious of Baldwin as a writer.  And although the story is set in France (Baldwin’s favorite European destination), it could have easily taken place in other major cities across the world.  The characters could be of any ethnicity but the feelings on display by the characters in the book are exemplified in all cultures.  And once you have finished the book, you will see the importance of Giovanni’s room.

ISBN-10: 0345806565
ISBN-13: 978-0345806567

A Play of Giants-Wole Soyinka

On By Genyc79In fictionLeave a comment

woliOn August 16, 2003, Idi Amin Dada, the third President of Uganda from 1971-1979, died in Jedda, Saudi Arabia.  The official cause of death is multiple organ failure. Amin ruled Uganda with an iron fist and is considered to be one of the worst dictators the world has ever seen.  His policies and thirst for blood caused the people of the east African nation to live in daily fear of torture, murder and other atrocities.  His reign is constantly used as an example of the unrestrained abuse of power that is typical of a malevolent tyrant.  Amin’s life was adapted for the silver screen in the 2008 film, ‘The Last King of Scotland’ starring Forest Whitaker.

Wole Soyinka, winner of the 1986 Nobel Prize for Literature, is one of Nigeria’s greatest writers and has written two books and multiple plays reflecting African culture. In 1984, he composed this masterpiece, a fictional play that looks into the psychology of  homidical dictators and the surrealism that encompasses the world in which they live.  The play is set at the fictional Bugaran Embassy opposite the United Nations in New York City.   Life President Kamini, the main character, is a composite of the late Amin.  He is surrounded by Benefacio Gunema (based on Macias Nguema), Emperor Kasco (based on Jean Baptiste-Bokassa) and General Barra Tuboum (based on Mobutu Sese Seko, formerly Joseph Mobutu), who serve as the African heads of state.  The are supported by Gudrun, a Scandinavian journalist who soothes the ego of Kamini by re-enforcing his beliefs and statements.  The additional supporting cast consists of the Chairman of the Bugara Central Bank, Bugaran Ambassador, Mayor of Hyacombe, Profesor Batey, a sculptor, Russian delegates, American, delegates, guards, task forces and the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

Kamini is at the United Nations with his delegation for financial assistance and global recognition as a world leader.  He has instructed his chairman to approach the World Bank for a loan and even hired a sculptor by way of London to create a life-sized bust of himself to remain in New York.  The loan is denied sending Kamini into a rage. The denial is the first in a series of events that leads to the destabilization of Kamini’s mind and regime. The genius in the play is the dialogue between the characters that is interspersed with references to authentic historical figures and the relationships between the Third-World nations and world superpowers.  Gunema, Kasco and Tuboum are all tyrants and share the same ideology as Kamini. However, each is known to be evil in his own way and offers Kamini suggestions on how to deal with his problems. But what is tragic is that none are able to see the clearer picture, even as the Russian and American delegates enter after the news breaks of a coup in Bugara. The tyrants remain committed to their rule and Kamini, unable to grasp the severity of the situation as it develops.  The play’s ending, while abrupt, showcases their naiveté and lust for blood that is typical of the worst dictators we have seen.

While the play was written in 1984, the characters and the events that take place are relevant even today.  New dictators assume power in countries ravaged by imperialism after seizing control in the vacuum of instability created by political and military changes. We are reminded of how they come to power and the seduction of the throne that turns them into the monsters they become. They are never alone in their beliefs and actions and often rely on partnerships with other extremists to enforce their will and domination. Kamini and his associates are fictional characters, but they are based off real life individuals who brought their countries to the brink of ruin.  Famine, corruption, poverty and violence became staples of their regimes fracturing society into many pieces.  Some nations, have never fully recovered.

This masterpiece is an example to be used in discussions about dictators from any nation. Kamini could have easily been Rafael Trujillo, Josef Stalin or even Papa Doc Duvalier.  The names and places are interchangeable.  All dictators have common traits that are easily spotted and exploited.  And when the time comes for the reign to end, the fallout is often dramatic and rapid resulting in the dictator resorting to extreme measures to retain power as we see through Kamini.  Their lust for power serves to blind them from the reality of their environment and it is no wonder why they are often deposed of in the same manner in which they previously dispatched thousand and sometimes millions of people. Soyinka’s work is a timeless classic and after you have finished, you will see why it is a play of giants.

ISBN-13: 978-0413552907
ISBN-10: 041355290X

 

 

Mating Birds-Lewis Nkosi

On By Genyc79In fictionLeave a comment

mating birdsThis gem for which I have written a review came as a recommendation by a close intimate in Argentina.  And although short in its duration, the book contains powerful messages about our concepts of love, sex, race, class and justice.  The story is of Ndi Sibiya, a young man from a town called Mzimba in the continent of Africa, who is condemned to death after being convicted of the rape of an English woman in the “whites only” section at the local beach. At the beginning, Sibiya informs that he is to die but at first we do not know the exact crime he has been charged with.  As the pieces of the puzzle come together, we learn that each day for the past several weeks, he has had a wordless encounter with an English woman who sun bathes naked on the beach. She initially caught him watching her but did not report him and according to Sibiya, continues to show him her body.  One day the tension proves to be too much and the two engage each other intimately.  Sibiya is arrested and charged with violation of the Immorality Act and rape, both of which carry the death penalty.

The details of the encounters with the girl who is known as Veronica Slater, are relayed by Sibiya to his assigned therapist, Dr. Emile Dufre, originally from Switzerland. The doctor probes at Sibiya repeatedly asking questions about his childhood and any experiences that might have led to him being unable to control his sexual urges.   The doctor is supported in his endeavor by the commander of the jail, C. Van Rooyen who sees the natives as nothing more than “savages”.  Sibiya is represented by max Siegfried Muller, whose efforts in his client’s defense serve as one of the few logical parts of the subsequent trial.  In the book, Sibiya remarks that the end often lies in the beginning.  He began by telling us that he’s condemned to death and there is no last minute appeal to speak of.  His conviction and sentence to death combine with the actions of the court, Rooyne and Dufre to reveal the barbaric nature of the system of Apartheid in South Africa and the irrational fear of “miscegenation” and defilement of white women.  The English colonizers and their presence is eerily similar to the Belgium occupation of the Congo which resulted in the tragic death of Patrice Lumumba in 1961. The system of oppression reinforced by a belief of racial superiority, established a society in which the impossibility of reason becomes a domineering factor forming what could be for some, a hell on earth.

The novel makes an even bigger statement regarding the tragic history of the continent of Africa, the land ravaged by colonization.  The beliefs, customs and traditions of the native populations were often ridiculed and in some case forbidden breeding a climate of mistrust by the local residents against their Anglo rulers.  Suppression of pride, strength and in this case physical attraction, became facets of daily life and hallmarks of a system based on nefarious ideology.

White Veronica Slater is a fictional character, her actions in the novel have been played out over time repeatedly.  Her actions and the rage the reader feels are the disastrous effects of a society constructed on racial division. Sibiya points out that there are no winners in the book, he accepts his fate and acknowledges his actions.  His background and uncanny stoicism in the faith of death directly refute the perverse notion of unrestrained sexual aggression and violence by black males, myths that have been used to instill fear and suspicion.  The judge, spectators and prosecution form a bloodthirsty commission encompassing the widespread rage at the very idea that such indignation could occur. Similar to lynchings of Black Americans in the southeastern United States, the quest for vengeance nearly erupts in the courtroom.  The unfounded and perpetuated myths formed a nexus of a mob mentality determined to get their pound of flesh at all costs, even at the expense of a young man who is most likely innocent of his crime. These ideas are still being refuted today, almost thirty years since Nkosi wrote this masterpiece.

The system of apartheid is now gone but the remnants remain and still affect South African society.  Africa continues to go through a rejuvenation, transforming itself from the continent populated by third-world nations to a land of economical and technical development. Sadly, the issues we examine in the book are still believed by many today. But if we are to continue to break down the walls that divide us and refute the myths that continue desecrate our values, then it necessary that we embrace stories such as Sibiya’s so that we can truly move forward, living in harmony and embracing each other like mating birds.

ISBN-10: 0060970855
ISBN-13: 978-0060970857